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Blood Bound to the Alpha King
NovelShort
Hoàn thành
Seven years of love, of building a future together, crashed around me like shattered glass. Mara Philip’s life shatters the night she discovers her fiancé’s betrayal. But that’s only the beginn...
Chương (3)
第1章
I stopped just outside the private lounge of Le Méridien Packhouse, my feet refusing to move. The silver key fob bit into my shaking fingers—the custom Ferrari I’d spent five long years saving for, the surprise I’d planned for Nathaniel tonight. I’d imagined his smile, the way his eyes would soften, the way he’d pull me into his arms and tell me I was his future.
Seven years.
Seven years of believing in him.
Seven years, shattering in a single breath.
“Seriously, Nathaniel,” a man’s voice drifted through the heavy door, low and amused. “How long are you planning to keep Mara tied to you?”
My name hit me like claws to the chest.
The scent of whiskey and cigar smoke leaked through the crack beneath the door. My wolf stirred uneasily, hackles rising.
“Now that Valeria’s back from Paris,” another voice added, glass clinking against glass, “she’s been asking about you nonstop.”
Someone laughed. “Honestly, I’m impressed. Dating the Alpha’s sister this whole time? That takes guts.”
My heart stuttered.
Alpha.
Alaric.
My brother’s name burned through me like fire. Alaric—the brother Nathaniel had always described as some distant acquaintance from a neighboring pack. A coincidence. A harmless connection.
“Does Alaric even know,” the man continued, laughter thick with cruelty, “that his so-called best friend’s been bedding his runaway little sister all these years?”
My knees went weak.
“I’d pay to see Alaric’s face when he finds out,” another chimed in.
“He won’t,” Nathaniel finally said, his voice unmistakable. Calm. Confident. Familiar in the worst way. “Mara was never meant to be permanent. She was just… convenient.”
Convenient.
“Seven years is a hell of a placeholder,” someone whistled.
“She practically offered herself,” Nathaniel replied, a lazy edge to his tone that made my stomach twist. “Abandoned by her family, desperate to belong somewhere. All I had to do was act like I cared.”
The words sliced clean and deep.
“All that nonsense about waiting to tell Alaric until after marriage,” he continued with a chuckle. “She swallowed it whole. Poor thing wanted a mate bond so badly she ignored every red flag.”
The key fob slipped from my numb fingers.
It hit the marble floor with a sharp, echoing clatter.
Silence crashed down inside the room.
“Did you hear that?” someone muttered.
I didn’t wait.
I turned and ran.
I left behind the Ferrari keys—the gift I’d bled for.
I left behind seven years of devotion.
And I left behind the illusion of a second family that had never truly wanted me.
---
I don’t remember how I got home.
I only remember collapsing onto the bed, my dress still on, mascara streaking my pillow as sobs tore out of me in ugly, broken sounds. The room was dark, hollow—too quiet for a place that was supposed to be ours.
Every memory turned on me.
Every kiss.
Every promise.
Every whispered claim that I was his chosen mate.
The front door opened.
I scrambled to wipe my face, dragging my sleeve under my eyes as I forced my breathing to steady. Footsteps approached—familiar, confident.
“Mara?” Nathaniel called softly, warmth perfectly rehearsed. The bedroom light flicked on. “You wouldn’t believe the night I’ve had.”
I rolled onto my side, forcing my lips to curve upward. “Oh?”
“Dinner was great. Old friends, old stories.” He loosened his collar, watching me with casual affection. “Funny thing, though—security found Ferrari keys outside our private room. Crazy, right? Someone must’ve dropped them.”
My chest locked.
“That is… strange,” I said carefully.
He nodded, unconcerned. “Oh—and tomorrow night, we’ve got plans.”
I held my breath.
“Valeria’s back in the city,” he continued smoothly. “She’s hosting something at her penthouse. Thought it’d be nice for you to finally meet her.”
Valeria.
The name tasted like ash.
“The friend you’ve mentioned?” I asked.
“Yeah. Just an old classmate,” he said with a dismissive shrug. “You’ll come with me, won’t you?”
I searched his face. For guilt. For shame. For anything human.
There was nothing.
Just that same charming smile that had fooled me for seven years.
“Of course,” I said quietly. “I’d love to.”
He leaned down, pressed a kiss to my forehead. “That’s my girl. Get some rest.”
Minutes later, his breathing evened out beside me.
I stared at the ceiling, tears slipping silently into my hair, my wolf curled inside my chest, wounded and shaking.
---
The next evening, Nathaniel’s hand rested possessively at my lower back as we stepped into Valeria’s penthouse, overlooking the city like a throne above the packlands. His touch burned—not with comfort, but with mockery.
“Champagne, Mara,” he said brightly, handing me a crystal flute, kissing my temple for all to see.
Across the room, Valeria stood in scarlet.
The color clung to her like blood.
Her eyes followed Nathaniel everywhere—hungry, knowing, triumphant.
---
I escaped the crowd as soon as I could, my head spinning. The hallway toward the restroom felt endless.
“Well, look who finally crawled out of hiding.”
I froze.
Valeria leaned against the wall behind me, champagne dangling from her fingers. Her red dress fit her like it had been sewn directly onto her skin. Compared to her, my black gown suddenly felt too plain. Too safe.
“The runaway sister,” she said sweetly. “Must be nice—building a cozy little life while your Alpha brother carried the burden alone.”
My heart slammed.
“How does it feel,” she continued, stepping closer, “to abandon your pack and still play the victim?”
My throat closed.
She knew.
Everything.
Because Nathaniel had told her.
All my confessions.
All my guilt.
All my wounds.
“Cat got your tongue?” she mocked. “You should know—Nathaniel and I go way back. The kind of bond distance doesn’t erase.”
She smiled, slow and cruel. “Tonight, I’m taking back what’s mine.”
My back hit the wall.
“You were never his mate, Mara,” she whispered. “Just someone warming the bed while I was away.”
She leaned in.
“Want to hear something interesting?”
My stomach dropped.
“Tuesday. While you were at that little photography workshop…”
I felt sick.
“He came to my place first,” she murmured. “Then decided your bed would be more exciting.”
The room tilted.
“Those silk sheets you love?” Her breath brushed my ear. “Ruined them.”
My knees nearly gave out.
“The way he touched me,” she went on softly, fingers tracing my arm. “The way he never touches you. He says you’re too gentle. Too boring.”
She laughed under her breath.
“I bring out the wolf in him.”
Images flooded my mind—Tuesday night. Nathaniel kissing my forehead. Those sheets.
“He cleaned everything afterward,” she finished, gripping my wrist. “Didn’t want his precious Mara discovering what kind of Alpha he really is.”
Her nails dug in.
“But honestly?” she said, smiling. “The risk made it irresistible.”
第2章
Valeria’s stilettos echoed down the corridor, each sharp click fading until I was left alone with nothing but the crushing aftermath of her words. My hands braced against the marble vanity, fingers digging into the cold stone as if it were the only thing keeping me upright. When I lifted my head, the mirror caught my reflection—and for a heartbeat, I didn’t recognize the she-wolf staring back.
The soft golden lights overhead carved shadows beneath my eyes, hollowing my face. I looked older. Smaller. Like someone who had just lost a war she hadn’t known she was fighting.
Seven years.
Seven years spent in that bed.
I remembered the first night he’d pulled me into his arms, his wolf’s warmth curling around mine as he murmured that I was safe with him. The countless lazy mornings after—sunlight spilling across silk sheets, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the curve of my shoulder while we talked about nothing and everything.
My stomach twisted violently.
Tuesday.
While I’d been hunched over my camera at a workshop, obsessing over f-stops and shutter speed, imagining photographing our mating ceremony someday… he’d been betraying me.
The nausea surged hard and fast. I barely made it to the toilet before gagging, my body convulsing even though nothing came up. Just dry heaves, sharp and humiliating, tearing through my chest until my ribs ached.
I rested my forehead against the cool countertop, breathing shallowly, fighting the sting behind my eyes.
Not here.
Not now.
I refused to let tears fall in this place—not where pack elites and social climbers lurked just beyond the door, waiting to feast on weakness. I wouldn’t give Valeria the satisfaction of smeared mascara and proof she’d broken me.
Our bed.
The bed I’d saved months of wages to dress in imported silk because Nathaniel once said he loved how it felt against his skin. He’d taken her there on purpose. Desecrated it. Turned something sacred into something filthy.
My reflection trembled.
Slowly, deliberately, I smoothed my palms down my dress. I adjusted my hair. I drew in steady breaths until my lungs stopped shaking. The tears still burned, but I locked them away.
Later.
I would fall apart later.
Seven years erased in a single afternoon, soaked into silk sheets.
When I stepped back into the dining room, my legs felt numb, as though they no longer belonged to me. Somehow, they carried me forward anyway. Nathaniel and Valeria sat opposite one another at a long table draped in crisp white linen, steam curling from porcelain bowls between them.
They looked flawless.
A perfect Alpha pair.
My wolf whimpered softly in my chest.
I took the empty seat beside Nathaniel. The moment I sat, his body went rigid—jaw tightening, shoulders stiffening as though my presence alone offended him.
The air grew heavy.
Valeria’s painted mouth curved into a subtle, triumphant smile—gone in an instant the moment Nathaniel glanced her way. Her expression collapsed into something fragile and wounded, eyes shimmering as if she’d been wronged beyond measure.
My nails bit into my palm.
Nathaniel’s voice shattered the silence.
“What the hell is your problem?” he snapped.
I blinked, stunned. “What are you talking about?”
His hand slammed against the table, rattling silverware and drawing gasps from nearby guests. “Don’t act clueless. How dare you say something so vile to Valeria—especially about her mother?”
The words didn’t register at first. “I… what?” I whispered. “I didn’t say anything about—”
“Enough.” His eyes burned with fury. “She told me exactly what you said in the restroom. I always knew you were insecure, but this? Attacking someone whose mother just died? That’s disgusting.”
My head spun.
Valeria lifted a napkin to her eyes, shoulders trembling, grief incarnate. Nathaniel stared at me like I was something rotten dragged in from the street.
This was the same man who had kissed me goodnight hours ago. The same man who had sworn his wolf chose mine.
Seven years vanished in the face of her tears.
Around us, conversations died. Forks hovered midair. Whispers rippled through the room like a spreading infection. Heat crawled up my neck, shame sinking its claws into my spine.
Valeria placed a delicate hand over her heart. “Nathaniel, please… it’s alright. I know she’s struggling.” Her voice shook just enough to sound sincere. “Let’s not make this uncomfortable for everyone.”
The sweetness in her tone made my skin crawl.
Before I could stop myself, the words tore free. “Stop it.” My voice cracked. “Just stop pretending. I’m sick of your fake tears.”
The sound of skin meeting skin cracked through the room.
Pain exploded across my cheek.
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. My fingers lifted shakily to the spot where his hand had struck me, the sting blazing—but it was nothing compared to the way my chest caved inward.
Valeria gasped theatrically. “Oh—oh no.” She stood abruptly. “I can’t stay here. I need air.”
“Valeria—wait!” Nathaniel was already on his feet, chair crashing backward as he rushed after her.
He didn’t look back.
Not once.
I was left seated alone beneath dozens of judging stares, my face burning, my wolf curled into itself in shock.
---
I don’t remember how I got out of the penthouse.
Only that the night air slapped against my skin, cool and sharp against my throbbing cheek. A taxi slowed nearby and I flagged it down, collapsing into the backseat the moment the door shut.
“Address?” the driver asked.
I gave it, then leaned my head against the window.
The city blurred past in streaks of light as sobs finally tore loose. They came hard and fast, wracking my body until I could barely breathe.
Nine years ago, I’d run from fists and snarled threats, from a house filled with fear. I’d sworn never to let another man break me.
And yet here I was.
Crying in the back of a cab because I’d trusted the wrong Alpha.
No more.
I scrubbed my tears away with my sleeve. I was done being fragile. Done shrinking. Done letting men like Nathaniel Reed rip me apart.
My phone felt heavier than usual as I pulled it from my bag. My thumb hovered, scrolling until one name stopped me cold.
Alaric.
My brother.
The same number he’d had the night I fled. I’d never erased it—only lacked the courage to call.
The Alpha who had shielded me with his own body. Who had taken every blow meant for me until I couldn’t bear to watch anymore.
My vision blurred again.
Before fear could stop me, I pressed call.
The line rang.
Once.
Twice.
Then it connected.
Silence stretched between us, thick with nine years of absence.
Finally, a voice—deep, steady, achingly familiar.
“…Mara?”
第3章
“Alaric?”
My voice fractured the moment his name left my lips. Saying it out loud—after so many years—felt like ripping open an old wound that had never truly healed. Memories surged in all at once: his laugh, the way his wolf always stepped in front of mine, the warmth of home I’d abandoned.
There was a brief pause on the line.
“…How have you been?” he asked quietly.
“I’m okay,” he added before I could answer. Then, softer, sharper, “But you don’t sound like it. What’s wrong?”
My throat tightened. Even now—after nine years of silence—he could hear the truth beneath my words.
“I—” I tried to lie. The instinct was there, automatic. But the lie collapsed before it could take shape. “No. I’m really not okay.”
His breath shifted on the other end. “Tell me.”
I curled my fingers around the phone, staring out the cab window as city lights streaked past like falling stars. “Things here… they’re not what I thought they’d be,” I said slowly. “I kept telling myself I could make it work. That if I tried harder, it would get better.”
A tear slipped free despite my efforts.
“But it didn’t,” I whispered. “Alaric… I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to come back.”
“Come home.”
He didn’t hesitate. No interrogation. No bitterness. Just two words, steady and sure, wrapping around my heart like my brother’s wolf used to when I was scared.
“I’ll send you a location,” he continued. “Stay there tonight. We’ll handle the rest once you’re safe. You don’t have to figure everything out alone.”
My chest ached. “Thank you.”
“You never needed to thank me,” he replied.
---
Two hours later, I sat on the edge of a perfectly made hotel bed, hands twisting together in my lap. The room smelled faintly of cedar and expensive linen, too pristine to feel real. Every sound in the hallway made my spine tense.
Footsteps stopped outside my door.
The knock startled me so badly I nearly dropped my phone. My heart slammed against my ribs as I stood, dread coiling tight in my chest. For one terrifying second, I imagined Nathaniel on the other side—angry, possessive, demanding explanations.
I opened the door anyway.
The man standing there wasn’t Nathaniel.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair that looked perpetually tousled and sharp green eyes that assessed everything without being unkind. His leather jacket carried the faint scent of smoke and cold night air. Stubble shadowed his jaw, and there was something unmistakably wolfish about the way he stood—alert, controlled, dangerous if provoked.
“Mara?” he asked, voice low and rough around the edges. “I’m Kieran. Alaric sent me.”
I stayed where I was, studying him. He didn’t crowd the doorway. Didn’t push. His presence was solid but restrained—like a wolf who knew exactly how strong he was.
“Is it alright if I come in?”
After a beat, I stepped aside.
He entered smoothly, the room somehow shrinking around him despite his relaxed movements. His gaze flicked briefly to my packed bag near the bed, then back to my face.
“You holding together?” he asked.
“I think so.” I folded my arms, resisting the urge to pace. “Just trying to catch up with reality.”
“That’s fair,” he said, leaning against the wall, hands tucked casually into his jacket pockets.
Silence stretched for a moment.
“So,” I said finally, “how long have you known my brother?”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “Long enough.”
“That tells me nothing.”
“That’s intentional.” There was a trace of dry humor in his tone.
I exhaled through my nose. “Alright. Then what do you do?”
“I work with Alaric.”
“Doing what?”
He glanced at his watch instead of answering. “Our ride will be here in about ten minutes. We’ll stop by your place, pick up whatever you want to bring, then head straight to the airport.”
“Wait—ride?” I blinked. “Airport?”
“And a limo,” he added casually.
“A limo?” I stared at him. “Isn’t that… a bit much?”
“Not really.”
“For who?”
“For someone your brother wants protected.”
The way he said it sent a strange chill down my spine.
“You’re being very cryptic,” I said.
Kieran smiled again—calm, unreadable. “Alaric prefers things handled properly.”
The hotel suite.
The private transport.
This man who looked more like an enforcer than an errand runner.
None of it matched the brother I remembered—the scrappy Alpha-in-training who’d patched roofs and worked double shifts to keep our pack afloat.
“You can tell I’m surprised,” I said.
“Yeah,” Kieran replied. “Most people are.”
“I just didn’t expect this level of… everything,” I gestured vaguely. “So who exactly are you?”
“Someone your brother trusts with his life,” he answered simply.
His phone buzzed. He glanced at it. “Car’s early. Ready?”
---
The limo’s interior gleamed under soft lighting—polished wood, chrome trim, seats upholstered in impossibly soft leather. I ran my fingers along the armrest as I slid inside, still half-convinced I was dreaming.
“This is unreal,” I muttered.
Kieran took the seat beside me, filling the space without crowding it. “Not what you pictured?”
“No.” I shook my head. “Nathaniel had money, sure, but this… this feels different.”
“In what way?”
“More controlled,” I said after a moment. “Like power that doesn’t need to show off.”
He didn’t argue.
The drive passed in silence, city lights washing over us. I felt his attention on me more than once, though he never stared outright.
When the limo stopped in front of my apartment building, Kieran nodded toward the door. “I’ll wait. Take whatever you need.”
I stepped out, hands trembling as I fumbled with my keys. The elevator ride felt endless, my thoughts racing ahead of me.
When I opened my apartment door and stepped inside—
Everything fell apart.